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APPENDIX A. ACRONYMS AND DEFINITIONS <br />A-10 <br />would affect not only the substation itself but businesses as well. Often, indirect effects can be much more <br />widespread and damaging than direct effects. <br />Watershed: A watershed is an area that drains downgradient from areas of higher land to areas of lower <br />land to the lowest point, a common drainage basin. <br />Wildfire: These terms refer to any uncontrolled fire occurring on undeveloped land that requires fire <br />suppression. The potential for wildfire is influenced by three factors: the presence of fuel, topography, and <br />air mass. Fuel can include living and dead vegetation on the ground, along the surface as brush and small <br />trees, and in the air such as tree canopies. Topography includes both slope and elevation. Air mass includes <br />temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, cloud cover, precipitation amount, duration, and <br />the stability of the atmosphere at the time of the fire. Wildfires can be ignited by lightning and, most <br />frequently, by human activity including smoking, campfires, equipment use, and arson. <br />Windstorm: Windstorms are generally short-duration events involving straight-line winds or gusts <br />exceeding 50 mph. These gusts can produce winds of sufficient strength to cause property damage. <br />Windstorms are especially dangerous in areas with significant tree stands, exposed property, poorly <br />constructed buildings, mobile homes (manufactured housing units), major infrastructure, and aboveground <br />utility lines. A windstorm can topple trees and power lines; cause damage to residential, commercial, critical <br />facilities; and leave tons of debris in its wake. <br />Zoning Ordinance: The zoning ordinance designates allowable land use and intensities for a local <br />jurisdiction. Zoning ordinances consist of two components: a zoning text and a zoning map. <br />